Threats to Biodiversity

Over-harvesting trees in the temperate forest is using up most of the natural resources in this biome. With that, habitat destruction occurs and this is home to the wildlife species of the temperate forest. Another major threat is the usual water and air pollution and also soil depletion. This could cause harm and could lead to failure of some food chains for some species.

Primary Productivity & Biodiversity Hotspots

The gross primary productivity is 16 to 50 metric tons per hectare per year. (Smith, 1996)The net primary productivity is 10 metric tons per hectare per year. (Smith, 1996)Below is an image of some biodiversity hotspots in the world, a few which include temeperate forests.

Species

Keystone: A keystone species is a species that plays a significant role in maintaining the structure of a community or biome and whose impact on them is greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance or total biomass.

Black bears are a keystone species because it's at the top of the food chain in the temperate forest and if they go extinct, the entire food chain goes off track. There would possibly be an overpopulation of most secondary consumers causing increased hunger, causing primary consumers to possibly go extinct too.

Endangered: An endangered species are a species that are in danger of becoming extinct.

Asian black bears are an endangered species mainly because of illegal hunting. Their fur can be valuable and can be used for many different reasons therefore, numerous hunters illegally capture and poach these bears.

Endemic: An endemic species is a native species specific to a community or biome.

The Douglas Fir is an endemic species because it comes and grows out of the Earth and is accumulated to the weather and climate of the temperate forest.

Invasive: An invasive species is the opposite of an endemic species, it "invaded" the community or biome.

The English Ivy is an invasive species because ti was never naturally growing in the temperate forest biome, and it's seeds can be easily spread by people and birds.

Threatened: A threatened species are the ones who are vulnerable to being endangered in the future.

The Orange-Bellied Parrot is a threatened species because due to people urbanizing most temperate forests, this parrot's nesting areas are being destroyed. if there are limited nesting areas available, this species could become endangered.

Generalist: A generalist species is a species that has a very broad niche.

The Mountain Lion is a generalist species because it's at the top of the food chain and it doesn't need a specific area. It can nest and eat almost anywhere in the temperate forest.

Specialist: A specialist species are the ones who need a super specific niche only designated for them.

The earthworm is a specialist species because it can only survive while burrowing underneath the earth and digging through the soil.

Foundation: A foundation species is a dominant primary producer.

An Oak Tree is a producer because it makes its own food takes in energy from the sun, which is photosynthesis.

Indicator: An indicator species practically defines or characterizes the environment it lives in.

The Western Red Cedar is an indicator species because it has big green leaves and it's humongous in size, it represents the temperate FOREST very well.